Harvard honors local tree plantings as 'bright idea'

State forester David Janssen walks near jeffrey pine and sugar pine seedlings protected in plastic barriers that will eventually reforest parts of Rancho Cuyamaca State Park. The dead trees in the background were decimated in 2003's Cedar Fire.
— John Gastaldo

State forester David Janssen walks near jeffrey pine and sugar pine seedlings protected in plastic barriers that will eventually reforest parts of Rancho Cuyamaca State Park. The dead trees in the background were decimated in 2003's Cedar Fire.
— John Gastaldo

The reforestation effort at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park -- which involves replanting more than 1 million trees in the next decade -- is among the nation's "bright ideas" according to a center based at Harvard University.

State foresters received one of several Bright Ideas awards, which were created this year to honor notable public workers and academic scholars in the U.S., and "encourage practitioners to make these ideas work in their own backyards," said Anthony Saich, director of the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard's school of government.

For 20 years, Ash Center leaders have recognized creative endeavors in the public sector through the Innovations in Government Program. Bright Ideas honorees have a chance to be considered for that award, which is given out every year.

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The Cuyamaca reforestation program was honored for its potential in combating global warming.

"By doing this first project on public lands, we are showing that California continues to lead the way in reducing global warming," Ruth Coleman, director of California State Parks.

The inaugural Bright Ideas honors went to 173 winners working on everything from environmental conservation to poverty. Another local winner was the city of Chula Vista. City officials were honored for their efforts to reduce crime at motels with an ordinance that holds motel owners accountable for public-safety standards.

State officials began reforesting Cuyamaca in 2008, about three years after a fire destroyed more than 24,000 acres, or 95 percent, of the state park.

Forestry experts expected natural regrowth to come, but after waiting for a couple years, they realized it wasn't coming. They suspect the flames were so strong that they caused irreparable damage to the soil and the original conifer seeds, their hope for regeneration.

Officials at CALFIRE, the state's forestry and fire protection department, have played a key role in providing and replanting native seedlings at the state park. Partners in the project also include CALFIRE's Magalia Reforestation Center in Butte County and the U.S. Forest Service nursery in Placerville.

Staff from San Diego State University and the University of San Diego also have been doing research on the fire's ecological effects and ways to mitigate damage.

The replanting initiative gained momentum from key fundraising efforts, including a million-tree challenge, a campaign to encourage citizens and businesses to to create 1,800 acres of newly planted trees. Coca-Cola and Stater Bros. Supermarkets raised more than $1.8 million in cash and in-kind contributions.

Survival rates of seedlings have been lower than what foresters had expected, but they're trying to figure out why. (Read the U-T's coverage of that here.)